governor

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They may not play nice

Byuclafaculty

Competition from rival tax measures on the ballot may sink the governor’s Prop 30 which the Regents have endorsed.  In particular, there is concern about Prop 38 – the Munger tax for schools.  Excerpt today from an LA Times blog: …Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer sent a letter to the head of the California State PTA, the sponsor of Proposition 38, imploring them to stop what they call “personal attacks against Gov. Jerry Brown” that they fear could sink the governor’s tax measure, Proposition 30. Proposition 38, which has been financed by wealthy Pasadena attorney Molly Munger, seeks to…

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Prop 30 Campaign Officially Starts

Byuclafaculty

Governor Brown kicked off the official campaign for his tax initiative – Prop 30 – which, as readers of this blog will know – was endorsed by the Regents. Early polling has shown a bare majority of voters favor it (and the other two tax initiatives on the November ballot are polling poorly).  It is unclear how much funding the opposition to Prop 30 will be able to raise for a negative campaign.  However, Prop 38 – the “Munger tax” initiative which is focused on schools – does have money behind it and its campaign will push the argument that…

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You Might Not Want to Look…

Byuclafaculty

…at the July cash statement of the state controller. Because if you do, you will find out that revenues in the first month of the fiscal year came in over $400 million below estimates in the recently-enacted state budget. And, of course, there could be trigger cuts in the budget (including at UC) although such cuts are more contingent on the passage by voters (or not) of the governor’s tax initiative, Prop 30. If you do want to look, nonetheless, the report is at:http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD/CASH/fy1213_jul.pdf Look if you dare:

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Talk to the Legislature

Byuclafaculty

If UCOP wants to keep its Regents-enacted pension system modifications from being overridden by some statewide legislative action, it will have to talk with the legislative leaders – very, very soon it appears – and not just the governor.  From the San Jose Mercury-News: Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said Monday that legislative Democrats will deliver on “comprehensive” pension reform over the next four weeks, even if their labor allies don’t like it. “Will it cause some discomfort and unhappiness? Yes. Do you sometimes disagree with your allies and friends to do what you think is the right thing?…

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Can’t Help: Part II

Byuclafaculty

Yesterday’s posting noted the scandal of undetected state park funds and the negative impact that affair could have on the likelihood that the governor’s tax initiative on the November ballot will be approved by voters.  In fact, any news item that suggests misspending of state funds is likely to have a negative effect.  Today’s Sacramento Bee carries a story related to the rebuilding of the Bay Bridge.  It was found that a Caltrans employee – since departed – had faked certain safety test data.  There were assurances that everything was OK nonetheless and it was just one bad apple. Turns…

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Can’t help

Byuclafaculty

You may have noticed various headlines about hidden funds the state was holding for parks. Usually, when we talk about the state budget, we are referring to the general fund which is the operating budget for the state.  However, many other funds have been created for specialized purposes.  Some have earmarked taxes that feed them, e.g., the gasoline tax for transportation. Transportation is the biggest area of such non-general fund budgets.  But there are many other funds – some containing a few thousand dollars. When the general fund gets into trouble, the state borrows from the other funds. It puts…

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Money Race

Byuclafaculty

To recap prior posts: There are 3 tax initiatives on the ballot.  The governor’s tax initiative has been endorsed by the Regents.  Then there is the Molly Munger school tax and a close-corporate-loophole tax.  Politico wisdom is that having multiple initiatives on the same general subject is confusing and may lead to defeat of all.  The Munger and loophole initiatives have not polled well.  The governor’s initiative is polling marginally ahead but could easily be defeated which would produce trigger cuts midyear including to UC. News reports are that various unions have been contributing to the governor’s tax campaign although some…

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The Tax Battle Begins

Byuclafaculty

The tax initiative battle seems to be beginning. A couple of weeks ago, we posted a YouTube ad favoring the governor’s tax initiative.* It was longer than a typical 30-60 second TV ad, but probably provided a clue to what the TV pro-initiative ads would emphasize. We now have a radio ad from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. which suggests that the anti side will emphasize public pensions, public-sector unions, and the cost of the governor’s high-speed rail plan. The radio ad doesn’t specifically name the governor’s tax plan and could just as easily be seen as opposition to any…

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Taxes, Taxes: News on the Tax Front

Byuclafaculty

The Sacramento Bee today is reporting various news on the tax front.  As readers of this blog will know, there are three tax measures on the ballot: the governor’s plan which the Regents recently endorsed, the Molly Munger school tax (Prop 38), and a close-corporate loophole tax (Prop 39). Folk wisdom has it that where there are too many measures on the same subject, voters may reject all of them in confusion. In part to overcome that confusion, the legislature passed a bill that effectively put the governor’s plan as the first initiative on the ballot (Prop 30). In order…